Anson parker merrill



(No Model.)

' A. P. MERRILL.

LOGK..

No. 465,941. Patented'Deac. 29, 1-891;

.FLE ME rr'zZZ UNITED STATES ANSON PARKER MERRILL, OF FALL RIVER,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR OF PATENT OFFICE.

ONE HALF TO CHARLES A. HICKS, OF SAME PLACE.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,941, dated December29, 1891. Application filed November 17, 1890. Serial No. 371,701- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANsoN PARKER MER-' RILL, of Fall River, in thecounty of Bristol "and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Locks; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert ains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in locks.

My present invention consists in a lock composed of a strong inclosedmetal case having an opening at one end, the hasp to enter said openinghaving the opposite shoulders at its inner end, and the single swinginglocking-dog longitudinally located within the case and consisting of theshank pivoted at its inner end and the head integral with the outer endof the shank, having the two arms with opposite inturned locking ends asufficient distance apart to admit said bolt, said dog being formed of aplurality of similar longitudinal sections, a separate spring for eachsection, one section having, a spring considerably lighter in tensionthan the others, all of said sections normally acting together as asingle dog to engage one shoulder only of the hasp, but so that if thecase be su'ddenly struck the section with the light spring will movefaster than the remaining sections and will engage the opposite shoulderof the hasp before the remaining sections leave the shoulder of the haspthey normally engage, whereby picking or opening of the look by suddenblows or like means is prevented.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the lockwith the side of the plate removed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section online a m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aplan View of the lock. Fig. a is a plan ofa key which can be used to unlock the device. Fig. 5 is a view of theinvention employed as a padlock.

In the drawings, the reference-letter a incli- 5o cates the strong heavymetal case of the lock,

which is preferably somewhat flat and elongated, and at one en d isprovided with the lug b, integral therewith, and to which one end of thechain c is securely fastened. The opposite end of the case is providedwith the rectangular aperture (Z to snugly receive the rectangular (orother shaped) bolt 6, having the flanged perforated head f, to which theopposite end of said chain is strongly secured. The outer end of saidbolt is beveled on two sides, as shown, and on the same sides isprovided with the two recesses, forming shoulders g g, facing toward theopposite end of the bolt, said beveled sides terminating in saidshoulders. 5

The locking device consists of the dog 71, pivoted at i at the end ofits shank it, near the end of the case opposite opening d in the same,so that its free end can swing freely into and out of the plane of theopening d. The laterally-swinginglocking-dog has its free end formed ofa head composed of the two branching arms Z m, having the inturnedlocking ends or shoulders l m, located a distance apart suflicient toeasily admit the end of the locking-bolt. The outer ends of said armsare beveled, as shown, to correspond With the beveled end of the bolt.The locking-dog is held with its shoulder Z extending into the plane ofthe opening cl by one or more springs n interposed between the edge ofthe dog and the wall of the case and secured on a suitable pin. Thisspring (or springs) keeps the dog when unlocked with its locking-arm inposition just described and its edge 0 resting against the side of thecase. Thus when the bolt is pushed into the opening d its beveled endengages the beveled outer end of shoulder Z, thereby throwing up thelockingdog against the tension of the spring until 0 one shoulder of thebolt has passed in beyond said shoulder Z, when the dog will spring toits normal position with the shoulder Z outside of the shoulder of thebolt, thereby securely locking the bolt against outward movement, andhence firmly locking the two ends of the chain together.

q is the key-hole extending through the case at one side of the dog andnear the head thereof, and containing, preferably, a drum or I00 tions,and the center section is provided with barrel, as usual, to receive andform the pivot for the key. This key-hole is on the opposite side of thedog from arm Z.

Fig. 4 illustrates a form of key which can be used to swing the doglaterally against tension of its springs, so that its locking end Zswings clear of shoulder g and allows the withdrawal of the bolt. Assoon as the key is removed the dog springs back to its normal position,ready to automatically lock the bolt when thrust in through opening (1.

In Fig. 5 the invention is shown applied as a padlock, the case beingsomewhat widened to make room for the long end of sliding hasp p, whichhas its outer end bent inwardly to form a hook and constitute thelocking-bolt c. The case is also provided with opening d to receive thelong end of the hasp, so that it can slide back and 'forth to throw thelocking end 6, carried thereby, into or out of the case. The inner endof long arm of the hasp is provided with a stop, as shown, to preventwithdrawal of the hasp. The remaining parts of the lock are constructedas before described and its operation is obvious without furtherexplanation. The swinging dog is composed of a series of similarlongitudinal sections (see Fig. 2) capable of swinging separately, butall pivoted at i, and hence constituting the one dog. Each section hasits own spring at. There are preferably three of these seea lighterspring 0 than the remaining sections. The object of this light spring isto prevent the lock being unlocked by a sharp heavy blow which might jarthe shoulders g and I from engagement and allow the withdrawal of thebolt without a key; but by employing this light spring the section ofthe dog which it controls will move easier and faster than the othersections of the dog, and hence when the blow is struck said section willspring back against the tension of its light spring and disengage itsshoulder Z from shoulder g of the bolt, but its shoulder m will engagethe other shoulder g of the bolt before the shoulders Z of the othersections with the heavier springs have left shoulder g. By the timeshoulders m and g disengage,

the shoulders l of the heavyspringed sections have resumed their normalposition. Of course these movements are momentary.

The cheapness, simplicity, and many advantages of this look are obvious.

The locks shown are somewhat enlarged over those ordinarily made andsold.

"What I claim is- 1. The herein-described lock, consisting of theinclosed portable case having the haspopening, the hasp having theopposite shoulders, and the single locking-dog longitudinally locatedwithin said case and composed of the shank pivoted at its inner end andhaving the two branching arms at its outer end with the opposite lockingends, said dog made up of similar longitudinal sections, each providedwith a separate spring, one of said springs 0' being smaller or oflighter tension than the remaining springs, all of said sectionsnormally moving in the same direction, as a single dog, and engaging oneshoulder only of the hasp, whereby a sudden blow will cause the sectionhaving the spring 0 to lock the hasp by its opposite shoulder, as setforth.

2. In combination, the inclosed metal case having bolt-opening at oneend, the chain at one end secured to opposite end of said case, thedouble-shouldered bolt secured to opposite end of said chain, thelaterally-swinging dog longitudinally within said case, having the twoopposite arms with opposite inturned locking ends, said dog formed of aseries of like longitudinal sections, a separate spring for eachsection, one of said springs being lighter in tension than the remainingsprings, all of said springs pressing said sections in the samedirection, so as to normally engage one shoulder only of the bolt, andwhereby the section having lighter spring will operate as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

ANSON PARKER ltlERRI'LL.

\Vitnesses:

(i. F. LABONTA, Louis GIRARDIN.

